Many supermarket deli meats high in bacteria, Adelaide University research finds

Researchers have found bacteria exceeding food standards guidelines in three-quarters of deli meats in Adelaide supermarkets.

An Adelaide University study checked 174 samples from supermarket deli sections and found 77 per cent had bacterial levels beyond the guidelines.

Professor of Veterinary Public Health in the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Michael Reichel, says hygiene needs to be improved.

"Although no recognised food poisoning pathogens such as escherichia coli or salmonella species were found on these meats, the high bacterial count suggests that hygiene has been compromised," he said.

The team found sliced salami, roast pork and fritz had the worst bacterial counts, while chicken meat and ham failed to meet standards in two-thirds of cases.

Professor Reichel says there were pointers to what needs to be rectified.

"The presence of coliform would indicate really poor hygiene such as people not washing their hands after going to the toilet," he said.

"These levels of bacterial counts tell us that storage conditions, product handling and turnover should all be investigated.

"People have a right to expect that the product they buy on the weekend should last through the following week, not go slimy in a couple of days."